Trapped alive: Dubai Police Search and Rescue on 100% rescue record

A total of 173 people were trapped in vehicles in the first seven months of 2015, according to a top official, who added that these accidents also killed 25 people.

Speaking to Emirates 24|7, Lt. Col. Ahmed Burqibah, Deputy Director of Dubai Police’s Search and Rescue Department, said these resulted from the 104 serious traffic accidents, which took place on Dubai’s roads in the first seven months of this year.

“These 104 accidents have killed 25, trapped 173, and injured 184 people from the beginning of this year till the end of July.”

Lt. Col. Burqibah added that the rescue team is called to traffic accidents only if there are people trapped in the vehicles.

“When we reach the accident scene, first of all we try to check if the trapped persons are alive or not, and for how long they can survive in the vehicle.

“We are supported by ambulance teams and paramedics. We check their vital signs if possible and try to keep them alive till we finish our job and take them out of the vehicle,” he says.

Lt. Col. Burqibah added that if the trapped person is dead, then we try to cut the vehicle quickly and take the body out.

“But, if he or she is alive, then we try to take them out. This is difficult, especially if they are badly trapped or unable to survive for a long time.”

He pointed out that this job puts a lot of pressure on them.

“This job creates lots of tension for us as we have to be extra careful while trying to get trapped people out of the vehicle.

“However, we are saving their lives, and returning them to their families. This is a great feeling which release us from all the stress and tension which we go through.”

He added that since the beginning of the year, they never came across a case where a trapped person died while they were trying to take him or her out.

“Fortunately, we were able to rescue all trapped people alive from their vehicles. We also had some cases of death, but these were of people who had died before we reached the site.”

He also advised people who arrive at an accident scene before the police or ambulance to be careful and not take people out of the vehicles.

“This is very serious as in many cases the person might have internal fractures or injuries, and if they are moved in an un-professional way, they can end up with internal bleeding, disability or even death.”